With its first national top-25 ranking in program history, the Binghamton University wrestling team will head into the weekend hoping to extend its undefeated start to the season with a match tomorrow against Princeton University followed by the Penn State Open on Sunday.
After an impressive 24-15 victory over Purdue University in last week’s Journeymen/ASICS Northeast Duals at Hudson Valley Community College, the Bearcats (6-0), currently ranked No. 25 in the country by the National Wrestling Coaches Association/USA Today, will face another group of tough teams this weekend.
Binghamton junior 125-pound Derek Steeley, who contributed to the Bearcats’ success against Purdue with a 13-11 win over Camden Eppert, will face Princeton’s No. 25 Garrett Frey in one of two matches against the Tigers.
“Derek has done a great job with his work ethic,” Binghamton head coach Pat Popolizio said. “He’s been hot and cold so far this season, and we’ve got to get him to where he’s wrestling at a consistent level. His confidence will get better the more he wrestles.”
The other match will feature Binghamton’s 157-pound senior Justin Lister, currently ranked No. 65 in the nation in both the WIN Magazine and Open Mat rankings. He is ranked No. 6 in the Intermat poll.
Lister, who has a 10-1 record this season, including a 6-5 victory over Harvard University’s No. 5 Walter Peppelman, will wrestle No. 32 Daniel Kolodzik of Princeton.
“Justin is good enough and capable of winning a national title,” Popolizio said. “Two years ago he finished fourth in the country, so there’s a sign that he’s not far off from it.”
Binghamton will be one of 10 schools participating in the Penn State Open on Sunday. Among those will be No. 8 University of Pittsburgh, No. 10 Lehigh University, No. 16 Rutgers University and the host team, No. 5 Penn State.
According to Popolizio, the Bearcats are taking advantage of days between matches to rest and recover from some minor injuries.
“We’re taking it day by day, but I know for sure that [junior] Donnie Vinson and [sophomore] Cody Reed will be wrestling on Sunday,” he said. “Outside of the other eight guys, I have to evaluate where we’re at.”
Binghamton’s depth will be tested, as several Bearcats will continue to rest in preparation for the Reno Tournament of Champions in Nevada on Dec. 18.
“Rest is more important right now than competition because of the experience we have,” Popolizio said. “Managing these guys is going to be a key factor for the success we have toward the end of the year.”
Along with freshman heavyweight Nick Gwiazdowski, the top heavyweight prospect in the country, Vinson and Reed are proof of the Bearcats’ deep, experienced lineup.
Vinson climbed to No. 6 in the latest WIN Magazine poll and was No. 9 in both the Intermat and Open Mat rankings. Vinson, who is 10-1 this season, went a perfect 4-0 at the Northeast Duals, including a dominating 18-2 victory over Ivan Lopouchanski, the then-No. 6 wrestler from Purdue.
Reed also went 4-0 against Purdue and is now 7-1 overall.
“We have four or five guys that no matter who we wrestle, no matter what team it is in the country, we can win matches off of those guys,” Popolizio said. “We need some other guys to step up — if one of those guys gets upset or gets beat, we need another guy to take that position and win for us.”
Although Binghamton placed ninth out of 12 at the Cornell Body Bar Invitational on Nov. 18, the team is more concerned with individual success in tournaments rather than team scoring.
“It’s all about the individuals getting better,” Popolizio said. “Come the national tournament when we have all our guys ready to go, we’re ready to compete against anybody.”
Action is set to begin at 1 p.m. tomorrow in Princeton. The Bearcats are then scheduled to head to Penn State for a 9 a.m. start on Sunday.